Car-truck.



No. 809,505. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906. J. M. HOPKINS. GAR TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 1905.

JAMES M. HOPKINS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

e CAR-TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9', 1906.

Application filed June 5, 1905. Serial No. 263,709.

1 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES M. HoPKINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Trucks, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The present invention has for its object to provide an improved construction of cartruck, and more particularly to provide for so connecting the bolster to the truck that a slight rocking or yielding of the bolster lengthwise of the car may occur to compensate for the severe shocks and strains to which the trucks are inevitably subjected.

The invention consists in the features of improvement hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure is a view in vertical section through the side frames of a car-truck, its bolster, spring-plank, and associated parts. Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal section through the side frames, the bolster being raised and v the spring caps and spring-plank being shown in plan. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of a portion of one of the side frames of the truck, the ends of the spring-plank, the spring-cap, and bolster being shown in elevation.

The side frames A and A of the truck are preferably of steel, and each of these side frames is formed with a central opening a to receive one end of the spring-plank B and superposed parts. As shown, the springplank B is a channel-bar of steel or iron, and upon its ends rest the s ring-retaining plates C, from which rise t e groups of coiled springs D. Suitable bolts E pass through the spring-plates O and through corresponding spring-plates C, that rest on top of the springs D, the plates C and O being formed with offset portions to receive, respectively, the heads and nuts of the bolts E.

Upon the spring-plates O rest the springcaps F. Each of the spring-caps F serves to support one end of the bolster G, and the spring-caps and the bolster ends are connected together by a ball-and-socket joint of such construction as will permit the slight rocking or turning movement of the bolster transversely to its length-i. a, in the direction of the length of the car. As shown, each of the spring-caps F is formed with a spherical socket f, adapted to receive a corresponding spherical offset g, projecting down ward from the under side of the bolster G. Hence it will be seen that under the severe shocks and strains to'which the trucks are necessarily subjected the bolsters are free to rock or turn slightly in direction transversely to their length, and thus avoid the danger of breaking or injuring the parts. This is a feature of importance,.especially where said frames formed of single castings or integral pieces of metal are employed, since with such constructions of side frames there is no yielding of parts to compensate for the racking strains in transverse direction to which the bolsters are subjected.

While it is deemed highly preferable, it is not essential to the broad scope of the inventi on that the socket f of the spring-caps F and the offset 9 of the bolster should be curved in the direction of the length of the bolster; but by thus forming the parts a secure interlocking of the bolster and the spring-caps is effected.

The bolster Gr is preferably formed with a central rib g extending from end to end thereof; but this is manifestly not essential in all cases.

In assembling the parts-for use the springplank will have its ends set within the lower portions of the squared opening a of the side frames, after which the ends of the bolster will be placed within the opening a of the side frames in the position shown. The spring-caps F will then be placed in position to engage the spherical offsets g of the bolster, and the springs and spring-plates will next be set between the spring-plank and the capplates. The cap-plates F are provided at their sides with lugs or ribs f adapted to engage the walls or pillars a at the sides of the opening a of the side frames, and it will be un derstood that in placing the spring-caps in the position shown they will first be set diago nally within the squared openings a, of the side frames and then be moved to horizontal position, so that their lugs or ribsf shall interlock with the walls or pillars a of the side frames.

It is manifest that the precise details of construction above set out may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A car-truck comprising side frames having openings therein, spring-caps W1th1n the upper portion of said openings and a bolster having its ends engaging said spring-caps, said spring-caps and said bolster being interlocked by ball-and-socket joints covering substantially the entire top surfaces of said spring-caps and permitting a rocking movement of the bolster upon the spring-caps in a direction transverse to the length of the bolster.

2. A car-truck comprising side frames having openings therein, a spring-plank having its ends Within said side openings, springs upon said spring-plank, spring-caps for said springs and a bolster projecting through said side-frame openings, said bolster and said spring-caps being connected by ball-andsocket joints covering substantially the entire top surfaces of sald spring-caps and permitting a rocking movement of the bolster upon the spring-caps in a direction transverse of the bolster.

3. A car-truck comprising side frames having openings therein, a spring-plank having its ends wlthin said opening, springs upon said spring -plank, springcaps for said springs provided With sockets covering sub stantially the entire top surface of said spring-caps, and a bolster having its ends provided With transversely-curved offsets to enter the correspondingly-curved sockets of said spring-caps.

JAMES M. HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

KATHARINE GERLAoH,

LILLIAN PRENTIoE. 

